Mugabe's cleric chides self-centred politicians

RESPECTED Roman Catholic cleric Fidelis Mukonori has urged all the 23 presidential candidates in this month's make-or-break elections to put the interests of Zimbabweans ahead of their own.

Mukonori, who brokered a peace deal between the military's command element and former President Robert Mugabe, leading to the veteran politician's resignation last November, yesterday said Zimbabweans were looking for servant leadership.

Speaking at the launch of a paper titled Taming the Beast in Us 2018 by the Centre for Conflict Management and Transformation (CCMT), Mukonori said: "We are looking for people who are going to take care of the people of Zimbabwe, not themselves. We are expecting our presidential candidates to teach, preach and persuade people. They should solicit for votes on the basis and promise that they will take care of Zimbabweans and the country."

During the nervy period of negotiations between Mugabe and the military top brass, Mukonori shuttled between army barracks and the then President's private residence, paving the way for current President Emmerson Mnangagwa's rise to power.

Mukonori called for the entrenchment of democracy after the coming elections.

Taming the Beast in Us is a paper that provides an overview of Zimbabwe's political and electoral landscape taking into consideration that previous elections have been dominated by violence, bitterness which was mostly influenced by unsettled structural political questions.

CCMT director Wonder Phiri said his organisation was there to uphold peace and non-violence as well as reduce all forms of conflict.

"CCMT is privileged of upholding its mission of contributing towards cohesive communities in Zimbabwe through building a culture of non-violence and peaceful resolution of all forms of conflict," he said. - newsday